Alrighty, I want to get this stamp submitted since I have had it sitting there waiting to be submitted for a long time!

Its a stamp that I like because it has a message but I feel like I coulda done a better job. It is a bit refined but still sloppy. But hey! So is my most popular stamp!

Anyways yes, the ESRB, the american video game rating system. I made this because of Manhunt 2. Sure I probably won't buy the game, I'm not that interested in it. Maybe a rental? But it showed people that giving a game AO (Adults Only) is basically a ban on the game since no one will sell an AO rated game. That technically is a violation of the 1st amendment in my opinion, because we cannot ban anything for content like that. Free Speech, baby ^^
That doesn't mean that everyone can play it. I am old enough to play it, as I am sure some people who see this will be too. That means it should be there for me to play! Thats what this stamp is all about.

anyways, if you agree, then use this stamp in your journal and shoutboard. But also and comment please! As always I wanna know hoe you feel about it

I agree that games with the AO rating should be kept from plain sight in stores (think about the little kids, man!) but they shouldn't be banned from stores! Why not just keep AO games behind the counter or something?

oh the joys of the rating system that's on almost every game here and yet no one cares about. we had the U PG 12a 15 and 18 stickers (UK) but now almost everyone completely ignores them in the real world.

True, I'll be honest.I also played M rated games as a teen, hell even as a 12 year old, and my parents didn't mind it. And I didn't go on a real-life killing spree whatsoever.Video game haters are ignorants and everything they say is horseshit!

Well the game still sells well here as well, it's just the M rating is for people ages 17+ and it is illegal for stores to sell to people below age 17. Although they get the games eventually somehow anyways. XD

Totally agree with youIf you live in California, you surely know that Schwarnzenegger is trying to ban violents video game to minors, so, logically, the video game industry will lose a lot of proud gamers and because the California is in recession, they will lose a lot of money, so tis very stupid myself I've played M-rated games as a minor, so...

Thankfully I do not live in California. Sadly though I doubt it's in any way his sole choice. The whole thing about the rating system to begin with is parents not understanding what's in a game. But parents are lazy and when their kid plays a violent game, instead of blaming themselves or at least talking to their kids about it, they'll blame the game companies and put pressure onto political leaders to ban the stuff. :\ It's pretty sad. I've played plenty of M-rated games before turning 18 and I'm fine. lol.

There are idiots in the world... a lot, unfortunately There are some who do not understand that this is not a poison.Instead, it teaches you things of life (but, for the science fiction games, it's different XD)

Right on!If you ask me, a sheltered life is harmful in the end anyway... I mean, their going to learn things eventually anyway, so why shock them when they're so much older?If you keep them from the world, they know nothing, good or bad.

Not always. You're from the UK? The game Manhunt 2 was continually banned for a couple months until Rockstar's appeal in high court managed to get the game in. If they didn't care so much, that game wouldn't be there. haha. Its really kind of the same as a rating system, except more constrictive.

But Really, maybe a video game simulating that kind of violence SHOULDN'T be allowed to the general public, I don't see the general fun in a game that is simulating the worst and most terrible of our human world.

WELL... actually it'd always be rated M for language, but most games back in the day had minimal dialogue to begin with, or kept it to a small amount of foul language. XD It runs the same rules as movies, really. But they are kinda harsh on games still. :\

To be honest, I've never really grasped the concept of ESRB ratings like these. What defines the E M or AO or whatever other letter you have for these ratings? You can be mature when you're 16, childish when you're 40, and classed as an adult at god knows how many different ages in various different parts of the world.I've never seen them in Britain; we have age restrictions, though I think age restrictions are pretty pointless for most games, considering things like in a lot of areas, the things in GTA for example happen all the time; there's violence death and whatnot everywhere. It's nothing noone's seen before, and trying to keep your kids ignorant to that is wrong, because they'll only find out the hard way, anyway.Just my view. Feel free to challenge it XD

I know the answer to why games are still getting the bad treatment with ratings and stuff!! (well, maybe sort of)

THE 90s.

Think about it; who doesn't remember seeing a blaring Pokemon commercial or finding toys of Pikachu or Spyro in your cereal boxes or the Mario and Sonic cartoons? So much over-commercialization and over-marketing of the 90s gaming era resulted in a really bad viewpoint of those who really disliked games ever since the 80s. Game companies were viewed as uncaring tycoons who were trying to make big bucks on corrupting little kids' minds. I still remember reading all the news articles and tabloids on how people felt about their kids playing Pokemon and other video games.

Well then came GTA's huge popularity and being what it is, it kind of sent people off onto a even bigger negative surge against the industry even more.

But really though, being that I've been playing games ever since I was 4 years old (I still remember all the fun I had with Duck Hunt and the old Atari), I've noticed that are some things that are really off balanced. Heck, even games that aren't all that violent (Sim City comes to mind) don't need an E-rating because the sheer amount of content in them is too much for a little kid to handle. The whole new E+10 rating seems to be a bit of a joke to me and being that I've played a few M rated games here and there (and I own MGS the Twin Snakes), I don't see what all the problem is outside of just marketing them. I don't need all the violence and crap like that, I just want a good story and good gameplay.